Missing woman’s family takes message to street

Nita Jones sat in a plastic white lawn chair Friday afternoon on the sidewalk of St. Rose Parkway, armed with a large sign with a photo of Billie Jean James on it.

The 19-year-old yoga instructor was hired by the family for $150 to stand in the very spot James was last seen by a motorist.

It's been seven weeks since the 67-year-old Las Vegas resident mysteriously vanished from her home near the M Resort on the southern edge of the valley.

James was last seen wearing a big floppy hat and a light-colored dress, sitting on the sidewalk with her legs outstretched, according to the witness. She was nearly two miles from her home.

The large photo of James clad in a bright red, white and blue outfit is topped by the words "HAVE YOU SEEN ME?" James , an avid gardener, is shown with a pair of gardening shears in her hand while standing in front of the sign at Silverado Ranch Park.

At times this week, it seemed Jones signed on to a fruitless venture as some cars honked before they blew by the sign on the busy highway. Other vehicles slowed down as drivers seemed to take note of the contact information and James' glowing smile before heading home for the weekend.

"I think this was a good idea, but it hasn't helped," Jones said. "This is the last place she was spotted. No one has called in yet."

Nearly two months after James' disappearance, police still have no leads.

About seven months ago, James suffered a transient ischemic attack, or mini stroke, that left her with temporary memory loss. Her friends and family said they worry she might have experienced another one the day she went missing on April 22.

Almost every day since her disappearance, her husband, Bill James, has waited outside the home they shared for 40 years in hopes that his wife will come walking up their dirt driveway and into his arms once again.

A $10,000 reward also is being offered for information leading to her whereabouts.

James' friends and family have searched the surrounding areas on foot, on four-wheelers and by helicopter, and they've given dozens of interviews to area media outlets.

They have handed out hundreds of fliers, sent out Web links to dozens of news stories covering the case, and posted pictures to a group Facebook page in hopes of spreading the story.

So far, word of mouth has spread the news all the way to Illinois, according to one group follower.

James is 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 140 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Metropolitan Police Department's missing persons unit at 702-828-2907, 702-828-3111 or 702-828-LOST.